The Big 3

Christine L. Alfano extricates the rhetorical elements of audience, purpose and persona to demonstrate a quintessential presence that entrances viewers and listeners from all over. Regardless of the medium, a presenter’s appearance and personality must be as relevant as the details of their presentation to the audience. Signature elements, such as sunglasses on Bono and a black turtle neck on Steve Jobs, are essential. The more familiar the presenter is the more relevant they become to their viewers and listeners. This familiarity comforts and assures the viewer that they know the presenter personally, and allows them to develop a subconscious bond or form of trust in the presenter. Hand gestures and explosive language engage audiences and demolish the formal barrier between them and the presenter. The expression and presence the speaker gives off reveals the message they are trying to convey. Along with presence is language, the speaker has to remember who the audience is. A speaker needs to be aware of who they are speaking to and whether to keep the presentation colloquial or formal. After the presenter has formed that bond and familiarity with the audience he needs to be aware of his purpose. The audience needs to be engaged therefore the presenter must be concrete with his points and makes sure that they are relevant. Without a purpose the rest of the presentation falls flat, persona and audience become meaningless elements of a presentation without a purpose. However together these three essentials come together to make the ideal presentation.